


With A Rose In My Hair

by The1stSonatinerider



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Not K-Pop Idols, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Backstory, Blood and Injury, Bromance, Dancing, Don't Like Don't Read, Gunshot Wounds, Heist, Music, Possible Character Death, Tango, Theft, ships can be seen as romantic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-18 02:15:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28859442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The1stSonatinerider/pseuds/The1stSonatinerider
Summary: Bang Chan and Felix are 2 thiefs by heart. On a lonesome night they have set their eyes on the mansion of the Yang brothers. It was going to be a heist like any other they had done for all the time they had spent together. Where did we lose everything?
Relationships: Bang Chan/Lee Felix, Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Hwang Hyunjin/Seo Changbin, Kim Seungmin/Yang Jeongin | I.N
Kudos: 5





	With A Rose In My Hair

**Author's Note:**

> This work is from my Quora account: https://www.quora.com/q/fwmpidssghtunlqx/With-A-Rose-In-My-Hair

Time passed as their shoes squeaked over the hard wooden floor. The mirror had become dirty due to the endless hours that they had stayed in this singular room. Felix stared at himself whilst dancing, he looked pretty with the red rose put between the strands of his hair. It was beautifully red, his favorite color. His thoughts were disturbed by a sudden muffled whimper coming from his partner: Bang Chan. No words were exchanged but Felix saw the pain his friend was in and he broke out of his hold, his hands leaving the warmth of the elder’s palms. They both stared at each other, not with confusion but with friendly love.

Felix hasn’t got any feelings for his best friend. The day that they met, it felt as if his brother had come back from heaven to watch over him. Bang Chan was the dominant leader that Felix needed during their heists. They lived a life of the crooks; they were partners in crime. They robbed everything that they came across, without blood shed of course. Who would want to see a massacre happen? Bang Chan and Felix weren’t killers, they were just hungry. Not the type that you have when you didn’t eat the entire day but the famine for more. Money was the only satisfying thing left in life for them. Collecting money together was beautiful.

“I did it wrong again. Didn’t I?” asked Felix, looking into the older’s orbs. “It’s okay, we should start getting ready. We don’t want to arrive late, don’t we sir Navidad?” Chan answered, that last bit slightly cocky. Chan knew that Felix loved it when he was named Felix Navidad. They chose that name often when they stole money from luxurious mansions. “But, I keep stepping on your shiny new shoes. We will stand out in the crowd with my moves.” Felix protested. “If we don’t leave now, there isn’t going to be food on the table for the next week.” The coldness in his voice was clear and present. This was a scenario they wanted to avoid at all costs.

It was going to be a heist just like every other they did. They’d pretend to be guests at a ball in a massive mansion with many prized possessions. When nobody kept an eye on the two anymore, they’d sneak into a back room and fill their pockets with as many necklaces and rings they could find. They would then leave early, as if nothing ever happened. Tonight they were going undercover to a tango ball, organized by the Yang and Lee family in honor of the ending of the never-ending disquiet between the 2 families. Felix and Chan had been practicing for over a week now but Felix still seemed to struggle to keep up with the moves. Even when Bang Chan had the lead. They had to act quick, otherwise they’d get caught in their scheme. The security in the mansion was tight so there was no room for failure.

A slight mid-summer breeze blew one of the petals off of the rose that still rested on top of Felix’s head. He helped his partner get out of the crammy cab, paid the driver for his mild-service and he turned his head towards their target of the night. They had arrived just in time. The hight of the party was coming up and it was just one moment of inattention that could give them the slight push they needed to go and sneak to the safe hidden behind the painting on the third floor. There was however, one huge problem: The keycard of the space is rumored to be in the patch of the oldest among the 2 brothers of the Yang family: Kim Seungmin. “Once we enter, we’ll see how the situation is with our special guest Seungmin.” Bang Chan said to no-one in particular. Felix nodded subtly and hooked his arm into Chan’s. “Are you ready to go?” The younger asked, eyes lighting up. “I was born ready.”

They walked up to the entrance of the mansion and were let in immediately, not a single weird look exchanged when the bouncer read the name “Navidad” on the list. The house was just like any other of the places they’d robbed but, this one had a surreal vibe to it. The vases of red roses, the trees stuffed away in the corners of the ball room and the big chandelier hanging above the hundreds of unsuspecting guests made it feel like they had entered a palace like in the fairytales. Felix’s steps were light whilst Chan had a stern expression on his face and he physically could feel whenever his black shoes pressed hard on the porcelain ground. An orchestra was playing soft classical music over the soft chatter of the others invited. The duo moved itself next to one of the tables and began reciting their previously rehearsed script. To make sure that they looked normal. Suddenly, a silence fell over the ballroom as the Yang brothers stepped down the stairs.

They looked gorgeous, every man looked at them in aw as much as the women did. The youngest son of the Lee family walked hurriedly after them, catching up with the other 2 just in time. Bang Chan wondered if they were actually real. Their target, Kim Seungmin clapped in his hands twice: “I want to thank you all for being present on this marvelous night! It is a very special moment for both of our families, we have finally buried the battle axe after over 101 years of mental war and we have signed a treaty declaring our friendship.” The entire room bursts into a loud applause, they seemed relieved. “Now, without letting any of you wait any longer. Let the tango dance begin.” He pointed at the orchestra that immediately began to play. Everyone grabbed their dance partners, Chan and Felix holding each other’s hands tightly of course as they made their way to the dance floor. Kim Seungmin seemed to say something to the Lee son, the other responding with a head shake and darting off into another room soon after. Kim Seungmin grabbed the arm of his younger sibling Yang Jeongin and took him to dance.

It started slowly, Felix could keep up with this. His feet were working on auto-pilot because he had more important things to focus on, namely the pocket of those black pants. The couple had managed to get stuck at the outer edges of the dance room and they were desperately trying to make their way towards the center, where the Yang brothers were waltzing, definitely not on beat but they seemed so pure that nobody wanted to disturb them. Chan turned Felix around a few times forwards, passing a few others who were not bothered in the slightest. The song was beginning to pick up its pace and Felix noticed it every time he stepped on one of Chan’s feet, the latter making a face that looked like a pufferfish whenever Felix’s shoes squeezed into his. He bent Felix down and the younger boy reached his arm out to the pocket of Seungmin but quickly pulled away when an older man raised an eyebrow at him. The pair turned around a few times again, trying not to stare too deeply into their target’s pockets. The dance was getting harder and harder for not only Felix, but even the other guests to keep up with. The foot movements became sharper, the bending became lower and quicker and now even feet were being lifted into the air. It was a mere battle on the dance floor. The song was reaching its peak Felix kept twirling in Chan’s grip, he looked like he was a leaf in the wind turning round and round. The entire room was mesmerized by the movements of the two, they seemed to be flowing into each other like honey, so soft, so smooth. The song ended, they still hadn’t gotten what they wanted and they got something they definitely didn’t want: attention. Whilst the entire room applauded for the duo’s dancing Felix saw someone’s piercing gaze. He began to shake, he knew those eyes.

Changbin and Felix were best friends. Key word: were. Before Bang Chan, it had been Felix and Changbin, an inseparable duo that belonged together. It seemed as if the stars were aligned to make them dependent on each other. Felix was only half of himself without Changbin and vice versa. Every step that was made by one was made by the other as well. At first, Changbin and Felix did everything for fun. Stealing a candy bar from the gas station sometimes and sharing it on the wall next to the soccer field at their high school. But as time progressed, it became bigger. They graduated together and were not planning on going to college, which raised many eyebrows as both of them were the top of the class. They became criminals. Robbing anyone who was foolish enough to walk down an empty alleyway at night. They didn’t feel a single drop of remorse when they those bloody faces on the contrary, they felt delighted seeing that happen. For a while at least.

Slowly, they began growing out of each other. Everything they agreed on once, changed to a 180. Every morning became a screaming match, every noon was filled with broken dishes and every evening tears flowed down both of their faces. They didn’t work as a team during their heists anymore, they actually worked against one another. When a guard turned around a corner they’d push the other into his sight-line, hoping that they’d get caught. When someone fired shots, they didn’t cover their partner, instead opting to use each other as living shields to hold back the bullets, not caring less if the other got hit and died. That happened once.

They were planning on stealing some money during a transaction. Nothing much but both of them wanted the other to die so badly that they wouldn't waste an opportunity to cause “an accident”. They walked over the metal bridge, Changbin stomping loudly hoping that the guards would notice them. They did. Shots were fired left and right and right when Changbin was about to get hit, he pulled the closest object in front of himself out of pure reflex, that object being Lee Felix. After another shot silence fell over the dock, the enemy seemed to either be shocked by Changbin’s action or that they just killed a man, maybe both. All of them fled away except Changbin. He crouched down next to Felix, holding his hands on the wound. Not a single word was exchanged between the 2, Changbin didn’t dare look up into Felix’s eyes. He expected the worst. Suddenly, footsteps were heard climbing up the iron stairs. Changbin gave one last glance to Felix, who’s eyelids were starting to droop due to the blood loss and then fled away into the distance. He watched intently as the stranger picked up his best friend and rushed towards his car and drove away. Changbin swore that he’d get revenge on the man that dared to take his best friend without his permission.

When he came to the tango ball with his new partner Hyunjin, a tall blonde male, he didn’t expect to see his ex-best friend standing there. In a suit, with a beautiful red rose in his brown hair, he looked so much better since the last time they saw each other. But when Changbin’s eyes fell on the person that had come with Felix he felt himself tense up. His eyes spat fire. He wanted to avenge himself. That ugly traitor over there had stolen his friend, and he wanted him back. When one war was closed that night, another unleashed itself. “We’re going to dance next song.” Changbin commanded to his partner. “But I haven’t even tried the toffees yet. And why do you need to dance suddenly? You said that you came here just because of the money in that safe.” Hyunjin responded not really paying attention. The orchestra started playing a different song. “Shut up and dance.” The tone in Changbin’s voice changed into a seductive one, he knew Hyunjin loved it when he acted like a tough alpha male whilst he was actually a big baby on the inside. “Sure, you have the lead” Hyunjin gave out his hand for Changbin to take, they ran up to the dance floor.

The song was very quick from the start, the center of the ball room was nearly empty except for our aforementioned Chan and Felix duo together with Hyunjin, Changbin, the Yang brothers and a few others who dared to dance to this musical masterpiece. The Yang brothers still looked like they were at a different party with their slow and calm waltzing to the strong and powerful music playing in the background. They did not move much, which Chan considered a positive point for their pickpocketing. All he needed was for everyone to look at Hyunjin and Changbin for just one second and the prize was theirs. Bang Chan was still dominating over Felix when they were dancing, he led the younger boy to every corner that was open and went back to the center. Felix seemed in distress with the sudden appearance of the other boy, they probably knew each other but Chan didn’t have time to wonder where they met because he needed that keycard. His feet were coming a tad bit too close to Changbin’s and it seemed like the latter’s plan was to stomp him harder than Felix had done those other countless of times the past hour. It was only them two left right now. It was a war of the dances. Bang Chan had to admit that Hyunjin and Changbin were a strong couple as well, even though they constantly tried to ruin his shoes.

Changbin was leading Hyunjin, at first it would’ve seemed humiliating for the tall giant to be led by the over 10 centimeter smaller male but Changbin was immensely strong. His height didn’t stop him from making foot work that wasn’t just on beat with the music, it was the music. His steps seemed so carefully placed yet also had a light feather-like movement with his upper body every stomp. Hyunjin’s waist seemed to carry the entire performance. It seemed nearly like jelly, so bendable. Hyunjin was very flexible. His hair touched the floor with ease as Changbin bent him down slowly to the rhythm of the music. Whilst Chan and Felix had the most magnificent twirls one had ever seen in their life, Hyunjin and Changbin seemed to be more flexible than any other person on the planet. They were like 2 feathers. It wasn’t a battle between 2 couples making 4 men together, it was a battle between 2 spoons of the sweetest honey and 2 feathers from the prettiest bird that flew high-up in the sky.

Partners were swiftly switched for the second portion of the piece. Felix and Hyunjin melted into each other whilst Chan and Changbin could not quite get a grip of one another. They looked like 2 grandfathers who were scared that one of their bones would break during this dance. As Hyunjin and Felix enchanted the room with their elegance, Chan and Changbin began whispering, nobody could hear them through the loud music playing and the guests’ own chatter in admiration. “You’re dead meat to me.” Changbin began. “Isn’t meat always dead, sometimes it may be warm and tasty and other times, it’s cold and raw just like your heart.” Chan bit back, carefully avoiding Changbin’s steps that were planning on making that tiny hole in his right shoe bigger. Both of them fought for dominance during the routine but no. matter how hard they brawled, none came on top. “What makes my heart so cold then? I am here standing for the masses, willing to give my life to win back the first person who truly loved me.” Changbin began to squish Chan’s big hands in his tiny ones, with the purpose of paining him. “What love, the love of leaving him behind? I do not see how one can have adoration for a traitor like you.” Chan kept barking back at his partner, they both weren’t going to back down and Changbin’s moves began to become wilder and harder, sometimes even hitting Chan in the face but the latter kept a stern expression on his face through the immense hurt.

“I’ve had a change of heart. I am not him anymore. I am no longer the Seo Changbin of those 4 years ago. Time has passed so I beg you, let me touch my best friend, my one true brother one last time this night.” Changbin’s voice sounded poetic, Chan considered giving him Felix just to let them sway once but when his snapped to his right where the younger boy was dancing, he saw an expression full of distress. Felix was scared of what Changbin would do. Their fights had strong language, both used it often against each other. Felix said dumb sentences. Felix was so ego-centrical then, if he was Changbin he would’ve never forgiven him. “You will hurt him, my gut tells me that there is no good intention left in you anymore. You’ve met the devil now let go of me sinner.” Bang Chan broke loose out of the tight hands of Changbin and his eyes met Hyunjin’s. They glided through the room, Hyunjin really felt like a feather and it looked as if they could dance for ages. Chan didn’t pay much attention to face of the boy in front of him, constantly franticly looking towards his friend with Changbin. If you didn’t know the backstory it looked as if they actually enjoying this serenade but deep down, Chan saw how submissive Felix was, even more than with any other partner he had had this evening. Fear hung between the 4 of them, well the 3 of them. Hyunjin seemed to be completely possessed by the music, he was the music, every move of his was sharp and perfect. Bang Chan made no attempts to steal the keycard from the Yang brothers anymore, his priority was Felix now. He had to save his friend from the hold of this villain.

After what seemed like an eternity, Felix and Chan were united for the finale of the piece. “Everything okay?” Chan asked, worry laced all over his voice. “This night feels so magic, it’s nearly scary. Please save me.” Chan knew that Felix’s gut feeling told him that they should leave, that something bad was bound to happen. “There is always a tomorrow in which we can try something new, and my hunger will be stilled perfectly next week as long as you’re okay. I can’t afford to lose you.” Bang Chan picked up Felix, the younger boy’s left leg stretched out completely. They moved towards Changbin and Hyunjin who had done the exact same. The final notes of the song were playing and Hyunjin and Felix’s hands intertwined in the air, the boys beneath them supporting them as they both stared at each other filled with passion. Even though Felix was bound to pee his pants fully wet, he also did not want this moment to end. Dancing was his passion, he wanted to be guided through the ballroom for eternity, everything was perfect even when he knew that something would go wrong tonight. He smiled fully at Hyunjin as he knew that he had the same blood of dance passion flowing through him.

One second everything was perfect, the other was filled with screams of terror, Felix registered himself falling down.

Lee Minho, youngest son of the Lee family. He had to come to this “time wasting ball” just to sign some treaty that declared their peace and friendship. That peace would only last a few hours. Minho hadn’t come here to have fun or be happy, it was all an act. He knew that the Yang family had much gold hidden in a safe. He knew the location of the safe thanks to his best friend since diapers: Han Jisung. Han had worked out the entire plan for them together, they’d steal the keycard during the grand signing ceremony, they’d open the vault and put everything into duffle bags, then they would flee out of the country, change their names and go live together on a villa on top of a hill near the beach. Even that last part that seemed like it came straight out of a movie had been planned out, they had even visited the mansion on the hill, it was beautiful.

Minho had nearly fallen asleep during the boring speeches of his parents, all his eyes were looking at was Kim Seungmin. Then they would finally sign the document, he would come right before Seungmin and it would be a piece of cake to steal the insides of his pocket. Minho went and wrote his name under the contract, then he let the younger boy do the same but not before a simple yet affective act. He stumbled and bumped into Seungmin and quickly grabbed the keycard out of the boy’s pocket and put it in his own. “Is everything okay?” asked the boy with the honey sweet voice. “Yeah, yeah, everything’s alright I just got a little dizzy.” Minho lied. “You should sit down.” The younger brother Jeongin said, slowly guiding Minho towards a wooden chair and sitting him down. Jeongin was probably asking him the typical questions but Minho only listened to the for the half part. All he could think about right now was Jisung waiting for him behind a curtain full of excitement. Minho eventually said: “I should at least be there to welcome the guests.” The entire room seemed to agree on that statement. “Take it easy for me, okay?” Seungmin pleaded, the older nearly felt bad for pickpocketing this kind-hearted boy but, he had to do this. He wanted more than just the normal life.

Seungmin did all the talking, he asked Minho one last time: “Are you feeling any better, do you want to come and dance?”. “I’d fancy laying on the couch over there.” Minho shook his head and then headed towards the couch in-between some curtains. He saw Jisung behind one of them. Without saying a single word the 2 rushed towards the safe. Their hands clasped into each other. “Are security measures dealt with?” Minho informed. “Don’t you trust me? I have everything here on that iPad you gave me last Christmas. I even got the code from one of the guards.” Jisung’s smile glowed on his face, he was proud of himself. “I shouldn’t have expected worse.” Minho said as Han began to type in the code for the door. The room was big, but mostly filled to the brim with gold and jewelry. Both boys rushed inside and threw anything they could find into their bags. They tried on a few of the necklaces and laughed with each other whilst they imitated the Yang family members. Whilst Jisung was deciding what necklace he should take in his nearly full bag, Minho looked at the camera footage. Two couples were dancing around the Yang brothers, trying to grasp at the brothers’ pockets. He giggled with their foolishness.

Jisung and Minho exited the vault. They carried heavy bags filled with 90 year old gold in them. Sadly for them, security had become tighter and the only way to escape and get into their car was through the ball room. They slowly went down the stairs, everyone’s eyes were fixated on the 2 dancing thief couples and Jisung would be lying if he said that they didn’t catch his eyes. The walked close to the walls, hoping to avoid catching any attention. But then it happened. Jisung felt someone pull his collar backwards and he turned around to see a heavily built bodyguard piercing right through him. “What’s in the bag?” He barked at the younger boy. Jisung franticly looked at his partner, Minho didn’t know what to do. Jisung remembered something, it was a crazy idea but this was their last option. He saw how the 2 dance pairs were together and he slowly let his hands drop in his pockets. He felt the metal of a gun. He counted to three in his head.

1

2

3

He shot twice. Hitting the pillars that were carrying Felix and Hyunjin. Chaos ensued. Even the bodyguards did not know how the react to this situation. They were calling the police and rushing the guests outside of the mansion. Jisung zoned out, he couldn’t keep his eyes of the 2 bodies that lied in the center of the room. He couldn’t hear the screams anymore, he could only hear the cries.

Felix steadied himself on the ground right before falling on his face. He looked downwards and saw his worst nightmare lying on the cold floor. There lay his best friend no, his brother. His stomach had a hole in it, you could see the porcelain tiles of the floor through it nearly, crimson fluid flowed out of his body at a rapid speed. For a moment, time stopped, Felix could only think about the bitter truth: His friend was going to die. He looked to his right and saw Hyunjin hugging Changbin tightly, when Felix touched his hand, it felt cold and distant. All of the life had been sucked out of the older boy. Felix gasped when he saw how bad the situation was. Changbin’s high forehead had a hole in it. A big red hole. The boy’s eyes were open but he couldn't see anything. His mouth was closed but, because Changbin’s lips were always slightly curled above it looked like he was smiling slightly. Changbin had passed the moment of impact and his friend Hyunjin hugged his lifeless body, hoping that maybe he would come back to life if he hugged hard enough.

Felix turned back to Bang Chan, who was coughing up blood. “Please, stay. What shall I do without you?” Felix asked, shaking Chan’s shoulder. “It’s fine, it’s just a small wound.” Chan brushed it off, even though deep down he knew that this was the end. Felix began to cry even louder, tears were running down his cheeks a mile a minute and he couldn’t control his breathing anymore. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his stomach, Chan’s hand. The elder’s hand gave him comfort and calmed him sightly, they intertwined hands together. “Felix,” the elder began but was quickly stopped when another violent cough came up his throat, blood splashed on tile. “Please smile for me, I don’t want to die with your sad face as my last vision. Let’s smile.” Chan’s lips curled upwards and he smiled, it had been a long time since he had done that. Felix did the same, even though the tears didn’t stop. It looked like time had stopped given the boys the chance to feel their brother-like love one last time before death took one away from the other. Chan’s eyelids began to droop, he mouthed the words “I love you” one last time before shutting his eyes fully. Slowly, Felix saw how the smile on the older face disappeared and the hand he has holding became cold. Felix pulled the rose out of his hair and carefully placed it in the older’s hair, the love-red fit perfectly with the pitch black hair.

Jisung stood there, his hands were shaking nearly violently. He saw how the blonde and brown haired boys wailed over the loss of their friends. The blonde haired boy hugged the lifeless body of his friend, it looked like he was never going to let go. He shook and shook his friend but it was lost energy. The boy had left the land of the living minutes ago. The brown haired boy smiled in pure adoration at the beautiful features of his buddy. He eventually pulled a rose out of his hair and placed it in the other’s. After he began to pray. Jisung heard a scream coming from the blonde: “Lord, please take my life, I want to be with him. I can’t live without my brother.” He pleaded over and over. It was a heart-wrenching sight to see. “Jisung, we have to go now.” Minho screamed. Jisung knew his friend was right, he shouldn’t waste his time on this but he felt guilt consuming him. It ate him like a wolf. It dug deep into his flesh. All he could think of was how he was a monster, a murderer. “Jisung, what are you doing?” Minho asked as Jisung pulled the gun out of his pocket again. There was one bullet left. He raised the gun with shaky hands one last time.

*BANG*

The End

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. My father has also read this story and made fun of me for it so I am a bit embarrassed but we die like men they say. Please keep in mind that English is not my first language.  
> Listen to "Hands Up" by Cherry Bullet as your reward for reading this story.


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